The white giraffe : Dreams
by Avalongirl1
Summary: Martine wakes up to find herself back at home in Cornwall England, where the past year never happened and was all just a dream. But even though Martine now has the perfect life, something doesn't feel right.


PART 1

WAKING UP

It was new years eve. The same night she and Ben had gone to the cave, and the same night she turned 12. As Martine got int bed she looked at her clock, the neon green lights giving a soft glow to the room. It was almost two in the morning. She thought of everything that had happened in the pass year. Riding the white giraffe and saving it, although she was the one to get it into trouble in the first place. Getting stranded on an Island, stopping poachers from hunting a giant leopard, and most recently : Saving Sawubana along with stopping a few other things as well. She then remembered that it was one year ago tonight that her parents had died in the fire that destroyed thiere house. And how sad she had felt when she had first come to Africa. She thought of many things that had happend in the pass year until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and fell into a deep sleep.

"Martine'. A sweet voice called, it was so filmier and yet so strange to hear it. "Martine, time to get up. I'm making bacon and eggs with home fries! To start off this new year".

Bacon, eggs, and home fries! That didn't sound at all like what her grandmother would make. The eggs were understandable but fries and bacon?!

Finally opening her eyes she was shocked at what she was seeing, it couldn't be true? It wasn't possibly what she thought she was seeing! It couldn't be! But sure enough Martines mother was sitting on her bed, smiling at her. Looking around her room she saw it was her old room. In her old house!

"Martine are you sick"? Her mother asked her. Martines face had turned white. "You look like you've seen a ghost".

"MOM! YOUR ALIVE"?

's face looked confused for a second. "Why wouldn't I be"?

"But you died". Martine tried to explain. "You and dad you guys died in the fire".

Ms. Allen hugged her daughter tightly. "Oh sweetheart you just had an awful dream".

"No it can't be...it seemed so real". Martine decided to make sure. "Mom". She started. "How old am I"?

"You just turned 11 yesterday".

"Why don't you and dad ever tell me about my grandmother".

She frowned at this question. "Your grandmother has been dead for years".

"Where did she live? And where was I born"? Martine asked frantically.

"She lived in the next town over, and you were born in the children's hospital".

"No it can't be"! Martine couldn't understand it. "WHAT ABOUT THOSE BLUE ENVELOPS FROM AFRICA! You never let me look at them ever"!

"Those are private, there from my pen pal in Africa. What in the world did you dream about"?

Martine took a deep breath and started to explain everything ho her mother. Every last little detail, about the past year. And when she had finally finished her story her mother just smiled and said :

"That sure is an odd dream, but very would make a nice story, you should write a book about it!" Then she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Martine alone.

PART 2 LIVING SOMEONE ELSE'S DREAM

Finally recovering from shock Martine got out of bed and went to get changed. It seemed odd she couldn't believe that she was back in her own room, with her old cloths. It also seemed odd that it was cold in the house. She was used to the heat of Africa, not the cold winter of England. After finally picking out a green turtle-neck and some grey sweatpants she headed down the stairs. Sure enough her mother and father were eating their breakfast at the table, and one plate was sitting there for her.

"Good morning Martine". Mr. Allen said as Martine sat down at the table. "Your mother tells me that you had quite some dream last night".

Martine who still wasn't sure it was just a dream nodded, then asked : "Dad lat night when you told me 'everything happens for a reason', why did you tell me that"?

"Oh just giving you some fatherly advice". He chuckled a bit. "That's my job isn't it?"

Martine nodded again and started to eat her breakfast.

After a while everyone went off to do there own thing, her dad went to work, her mom went to go read her books since she didn't get back to work until the end of the week. Martine wasn't quite sure what to do, in her dream she would have gone out and ridden Jemmy, or walked out with Tendai on the game reserve. Or maybe help out her grandmother. She would do other things as well, more normal things. But now it just seemed a bit odd. She settled for TV since it was already on with no one watching it. She would watch the news, not knowing what else to watch.

The news reporter came on screen, a man in his late sixty's with gray hair that still had some black in it.

"_This just in it seems that early this morning a fire started in a house with the family inside._"

Martine was now interested, she listened closer.

"_The firestation arrived minutes after it started but it was two late as the house burnt down to the ground. No one knows the cause of the fire or how it could spread throughut the house in less then five minutes. Both Mr and Mrs Nellan died in the fire, however there eleven year old daughter Marissa escaped out her window. And she will be put on a plane to Africa to meet up with her living relatives. In lighter news- "_

Marine didn't understand, it was just like her dream but as if it was happening to someone else. This was more then a coincidence. "MOM"! She yelled, she was afraid now.

Ms. Allen came running to see what was the matter. "What is it Martine? Are you hurt?"

"Mom a house burnt down on the news, and the girls parents died, and now she's being sent to Africa".

"Is that all? The way you were screaming I thought our house was on fire".

"But mom, I told you about this! In my dream".

looked puzzled as if she were thinking about it, and trying to understand it herself. "It's okay Martine, It's a coincidence, nothing more".

"But it's exactly like my dream, somethings not right".

"Martine Allen! This is crazy, it was just a dream, end of story". Ms Allen walked away from Martine, who instantly sat back down on the sofa.

"It was just a dream". She repeated to herself. "Just a dream".

PART 3 DULL

Months passed, and over time Martine accepted that it was a dream she had. Although there was talk of a girl riding a white giraffe every now and then. And sometimes at school she would look around for Ben, the boy from her dream who didn't really exist. So of course he was never there, she went to a Zoo on a school field trip, and was about to say that the had ridden a giraffe once, but then remembered it wasn't real.

Life seemed dull as well, she was happy to have her parents back, but after the dream nothing felt quite right. She felt alone in her own home, even though her parents attended to her every need. Her life was perfect in every way possible and yet she still felt empty.

Then came her birthday, New years. She sat down with her mother and father, each of them wearing a ridiculous part hat, half of a Black forest cake lay on the table in the living room, and the TV was on, it was almost midnight.

"So everyone". Said . "How was this year"?

Martine was smiling, but it was an empty smile. "GREAT"! She said and hugged both her mom and her dad. She loved them dearly, but still felt hollow. Nothing felt real.

"15 SECONDS UNTIL MIDNIGHT"! Her mother shouted.

The TV was on, it was time square, hundreds of people started to count down, including her and her parents.

"10, 9, 8, 7,5,4.,3,2,1 HAPPY NEW YEAR"! Fireworks went off at that second from all over the neighbor hood.

"Well everyone you know the rule, every has to go to bed within the hour". Ms. Allen said and started to clean up.

Martine let out a yawn. "I'm to tired to stay up I'm going to bed."

So both of her parents walked her up to her room and tucked her in.

"Goodnight Martine". Her father said softly. "And remember...everything happens for a reason". The lights went off and the door was closed shut as Martine fell asleep.

"WAKE UP MARTINE, WAKE UP"!

Martine stretched her arms and opened her eyes, and gasped when she found she was sleeping in her grandmothers house! In Africa!

Gwyn Thomas stood at her door. "Your eggs are getting cold, I understand you h=stayed up late last night, it being New years and all but it's eleven-thirty for goodness sakes!" She then wandered out of her room and down the stairs. Ben came in after Gwyn Thomas left. "Hey Martine, so nice of you to let me sleep over, but I've been awake for a long time and-".

"BEN"! Martine jumped out of her covers and went over to hug her friend. "I'M BACK!"

"What do you mean your back? You never left!".

"It's a long story". Martine smile.

"Whatever. Come on lets go eat breakfast, then we can start the day! I was thinking we could go out with Tendai today".

"I'll be right there"!

Martine hurried over to her window. She was back, it wasn't a dream, this was real. As real as her dads words that echoed in her head.

"_Everything happens for a reason'._


End file.
